New InterContinental Lisbon-Estoril gives Portugal three IC hotels

Portugal now has three InterContinental Hotels with the announcement of signing InterContinental Lisbon-Estoril. The hotel overlooks the Atlantic Ocean, located west of Lisbon city center in the affluent town of Estoril. The train station near the hotel provides easy transportation to Lisbon and the rest of Portugal. The area is referred to as the “Coast of Kings”.

InterContinental Lisbon-Estoril has 59 rooms with Superior rooms, Club rooms with ocean view and six suites/family rooms. The hotel features indoor and outdoor pools and a hotel spa center.

Estoril, Portugal is about ten miles west of Lisbon city center. Nearby Cabo da Roca or Roca Cape is the westernmost point in mainland Europe located about another ten miles northwest of Estoril.

InterContinental Lisbon

Less than six months ago IHG announced InterContinental Lisbon as a rebrand of a 1984 property initially flagged as Le Meridien before becoming the Tiara Park Atlantic Lisbon Hotel in 2008. The hotel has 225 single bedded rooms and 106 Double Bedded rooms with 16 suites.

In 2011, IHG opened InterContinental Porto – Palacio das Cardosas in a restored 15th century monastery and one of Porto’s most striking buildings on a major city square – Praça da Liberdade. The monastery was purchased in the 19th century at auction by a Portuguese business man who made his fortune in Brazil and planned to turn the property into a palace. A condition of the purchase required the building façade to be maintained.

Architect Alex Kravtetz restored the property for the InterContinental Hotel. I enjoy seeing architecture firm photos of hotel projects. They often offer far more photographic information than the hotel’s own website. Here are photos of InterContinental Porto and several other luxury hotel projects designed by the firm.

In addition to three InterContinental Hotels in Portugal, IHG also signed the Park Atlantic Hotel Porto six months ago and flagged it as Crowne Plaza Porto. This hotel is open and currently undergoing remodeling to improve the hotel lower part of the facade and entrance, during the period of 12th February to 30th April. IHG Rewards Club nights are 30,000 points.

IHG has made big gains in Portugal and IHG Rewards Club makes these properties good value with points in high summer season. Portugal in off season has some of the best hotel bargains in Europe.

Ric Garrido of Monterey, California started Loyalty Traveler in 2006 for traveler education on hotel and air travel, primarily using frequent flyer and frequent guest loyalty programs for bargain travel.
Loyalty Traveler joined BoardingArea.com in 2008.